NFL:
Devin Hester set an NFL record with his 20th career return for a touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons crushed Tampa Bay 56-16. Hester brought back a punt 62 yards for a TD midway through the second quarter, breaking the previous league mark of 19 TD returns set by Deion Sanders. Matt Ryan threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, and Julio Jones had nine receptions for 161 yards and a pair of scores.
Police say Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer head-butted his wife and broke her nose after she refused his sexual advances, and punched her in the face the next day.
The details surfaced in a law enforcement report a day after Dwyer was arrested on aggravated assault charges and deactivated from all team activities. He spent a night in jail and made a brief court appearance before being released on bail early Thursday.
New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick says Commissioner Roger Goodell is doing "a great job" while the NFL deals with several off-field issues. Vick says some situations are "more complicated than others." Goodell, the league and its teams have come under heavy criticism during the past two weeks over how they're dealing with several players facing domestic violence allegations.
On Sunday at 1 p.m., Houston sees the Giants in the Meadowlands, Buffalo faces San Diego at home, and Oakland is in New England. Chicago will go head to head with the Jets in Monday Night Football at 8:30.
MLB:
In Major League Baseball, in the American League, the Yankees topped Toronto 3-2, Texas defeated Oakland 7-2 for its second three game sweep, Cleveland edged Houston 2-1 in 13, and Seattle beat the Angels 3-1. The A's have dropped 15 of their last 20 to fall a half-game behind Kansas City for the AL's first wild-card berth, and just one game ahead of Seattle for the final playoff slot.
In interleague play, Pittsburgh swept the Red Sox in the final game of the series 3-2. The Pirates' fourth straight win reduces their magic number to seven for clinching a playoff berth.
In the National League, San Diego bested Philadelphia 7-3, Washington bested Miami 6-2, the Dodgers doubled up the Cubs 8-4 to bolster their lead in the NL West to 2 ½ games over San Francisco, St. Louis edged Milwaukee 3-2 in 13, and it was Colorado over Arizona 7-6. The Mets had a day off.
Ron Washington has admitted being untrue to his wife of 42-years in his first public statement since resigning as Texas Rangers manager 13 days ago. He apologized to his wife, Gerry, who sat nearby while Washington made a 3 1/2 minute statement. The 62-year old Washington says he is embarrassed for breaking the trust of his wife, calling it a low time in his life.
NCAAF:
In Top 25 College Football, Nick Marshall threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns as fifth-ranked Auburn beat No. 20 Kansas City 20-14. The Tigers forced three turnovers and improved to 3-0 despite being held to only 130 yards, 200 below their season average. Wildcats quarterback Jake Waters had 245 passing yards but also tossed two interceptions.
In college football, the University of Connecticut opens up American Conference play tonight with a road game against the University of South Florida. Both teams are 1-2 for the season. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Tennis:
Two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na has announced her retirement at age 32, citing a recurring knee problem.
Li became the first player from China to win a Grand Slam singles title when she took the 2011 French Open. She captured the Australian Open title in January, her third trip to the final at Melbourne Park.
She only entered seven tournaments after that, and hasn't played since a third-round defeat at Wimbledon.
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